I agree to a certain extent with Grow's and others assessment that the
old guard is old, I believe his point was. That's true and I've been
hearing staunch leaders of the party say they want to retire. They've
been in office a long time and they're tired, particularly since the
Pawlenty onset.
But who did he name? Tony Scallon, Peter McLaughlin, the Frasers. First,
I don't believe Peter McLaughlin belongs in that group; second, Grow
missed some of the more cynical members of the old guard who hold party
office and never run for public office.
Some of the cynical old guard is responsible for the redistricting
gerrymandering. They successfully knocked out the two Greens on the
council, to their own disadvantage. The DFL in Minneapolis needs an
opponent so that it will always be challenged by other voices. To get an
equitable, sensible solution to problems or to go forward with a clear
picture of the city's intent in choosing development strategies and
maintaining its gains, there does have to be the possibility of looking
at an issue from at least two sides.
Personally, I'm very uncomfortable with two democrats vying for an
office after the primary in any race. We had more than one race in which
that was the case. When a party is split so completely that this
situation happens it doesn't bode well for the future of the party as a
party.
However, playing the role of the young turks, Rybak's forces have a long
way to go before we can call them slick. They have been impressive at
winning elections, but after that I don't see much. I don't think the
true young turks have emerged yet. This bunch is soft and has a certain
quality of narcissism that is not at all healthy.
McLaughlin did identify Rybak's failure with the police, but he never
should have accepted assistance from the police federation, it was a
death knell. The federation is required to defend thumpers, it's their
job. People want safety and more cops, but only if we come to an
understanding about unprofessional behavior on the part of any cop. At
the same time, I think we've yet to see how badly Rybak stepped in it
with the sharp drop in officers, failure to follow the federal contract
and two lawsuits over discrimination, and allowing the PCRC to flounder.
Right now, McManus has a hold over Rybak.
By all rights, if the DFL had been in good shape, Farheen Hakeem would
not have gotten the percentages she got in the eighth and ninth wards,
Bicking would not have done nearly so well, and Zimmermann would have
lost by way more than 46 votes. Both had opponents among the young turks
and Zimmermann had the FBI on his case. So, no, this bunch is too soft.
Glidden could become an exception.
Nor does Grow take into account the Dzeidzic-Rainville-Johnson faction,
either. They are by no means quiescent. And in January we have a
Hofstede coming onto the council, so that's a whole nuther kettle of fish.
This also doesn't take into account that unseating a one-term mayor is
not that easy, particularly if he's from your own party. Many voters
seem to feel that it takes two terms for a mayor to produce so reelect a
sitting mayor, unless the office holder is outrageous in public and a
complete doof, which Rybak is not.
I have to admit that I think McLaughlin's sense of timing on this
stinks. If McLaughlin had challenged SSB last time along with Rybak, he
would have gained ascendancy in the party in Mpls., bringing large
numbers of a younger group through attachment to the NRP. At the same
time, his personal sense of party loyalty and belief in waiting one's
turn would not have allowed him to challenge SSB. But, if wishes were
horses...
What I find interesting is that McLaughlin and SSB, Cherryhomes, and
Campbell have been excoriated for attachment to developers, yet Lisa
Goodman, who has every big buck developer trailing her around, and now
has the economic engine territory of the fifth ward to command, did not
catch any flack. Her sudden attachment to a chunk of the fifth, of
course, is the gerrymandering again.
Some of my friends (and DFLers) are arguing that the DFL is toast. It's
too corrupt and past the point where it can clean house and is too
arrogant to do so anyway. That could be true.
I think that the young turks, at this point, are more likely to come
from the Greens than from the DFL. It's a young party and is attracting
bright people. Farheen Hakeem is one such. I also think that in the
younger generation (younger than any current officeholders), the
children of DFLers, may well go Green.
WizardMarks, Central
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